The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has refused the Thai team’s request to evaluate the judge who has been widely criticized for his decisions in the Olympic final qualifying match on May 18.

Following the controversy over the match between the Thai and Japanese women’s volleyball teams, the federation denied the Thai team’s request to evaluate the work ethics of Judge Luis Gerardo Macias, a Mexican national, who gave Thailand two red cards during the match, Thai coach Kiattipong Radchatagriengkai told Nation TV.

The red cards, which cost Thailand two points, were given after Coach Kiattipong asked questions about a malfunctioning tablet that didn’t manage to send the team’s swap and challenge requests during the game.

After a five-set thriller, the distracted Thai players ended up losing to the Japanese team 3-2 and their chance to play in Olympics was snatched.

Kiattipong said the request was denied because Thailand did not protest the result of the match within one hour of its end, as is the official rule.

Another Thai coach, Natthaphol Srisamutnak, said he actually did not hope the request would change the results of match, but that they only wanted to investigate if Macias had acted accordingly to the FIVB rules.